This invention relates to an apparatus and method for monitoring and controlling remote interactive systems and in particular for monitoring and controlling remote virtual instrumentation systems over a computer network.
For the purposes of this invention, a xe2x80x9cvirtual instrumentationxe2x80x9d system is a physical instrument for which controls in a computer window are used to manipulate an instrument, rather than the controls on the actual instrument itself. The use of computers to operate and control machines in place of manual controls is steadily increasing. The reasons for the increase are many and include, for example, the desire for physical safety of the user and physical security of the machine.
Similarly, computer gaming by remote player/game raises the need for the remote manipulation of the game. Concurrently, the use of the internet and intranet(s) to obtain and distribute information is also increasing. The internet and intranet(s) provide(s) access to data to remote clients around the world.
A drawback to the virtual instrumentation systems and computer games of the prior art is that they are not fully accessible, controllable, and monitorable via remote clients through the internet and intranets. Thus, there is a need in the art for providing an apparatus and method for remote monitoring and controlling of interactive systems over computer networks. It, therefore, is an object of this invention to provide an apparatus and method for remote monitoring and controlling of interactive systems over computer networks including inter and intra-nets.
Accordingly, the apparatus for remote monitoring and controlling of interactive systems over a computer network includes a client, a client computer and a server. A bidirectional data stream is located on the server containing representative data relevant to a remote interactive system. A communication socket, creating a connection-oriented communication path between separate software processes, connects a client computer and a server for providing the transfer of the data stream between the client computer and the server. A detachable header is provided on the server that describes and identifies the data stream, separate and apart from the data stream, and provides access to the data stream by the client computer. The detachable header describes and brings meaning to the data stream flowing over the communication socket. In a preferred embodiment, the data stream includes an overall stream and individual substreams. By means of the detachable header, the description of the data stream and substreams is separated from the data stream itself thereby providing a unique and powerful mechanism for controlling and monitoring remote objects. A corresponding method for monitoring and controlling remote interactive systems is also provided and described and disclosed more fully hereafter.